Sheathed toilet article



July 1,1958 G. A. LAUGHTON smmmn TOILET ARTICLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 20, 1956 July 1, 1958 a. A. LAUGHTON SHEA'I'HED TOILET ARTICLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug.

S HEATHED TOILET ARTICLE George Abe Laughton, Henley-in-Arden, England, assignor to Jarrett Raiusford & Laughton Limited, Birmingham, England, a British company Application August 20, 1956, Serial No. 604,883

Claims priority, application Great Britain August 21, 1955 7 Claims. (Cl. 132-143) tripping device is mounted within the case in a position where it is overlain by the toilet article when the latter is housed in' the case and means whereby thettripping device may be moved to trip the toilet article and swing it about its hinge so that it projects at least partly from the case.

According to a further object of the invention the tripping device includes a latch part which, when the toilet article is closed into the case, is automatically moved into latching engagement with the toilet article for retaining it in the closed position, and is moved to release the toilet article on actuation of the tripping device.

Further objects of the invention will be apparent from the description and statement of claim hereinafter appearing.

For a better understanding of the invention embodiments are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a toilet comb and case, constructed in accordance with the invention, closed into its case.

Figure 2 is a sectional side view showing the comb partly ejected from the case.

Figure 3 is an end view of the comb viewed in the direction of arrow A of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in the direction of arrow B of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a side view of a diiferent toilet comb and case, constructed in accordance with the invention, closed into its case.

Figure 6 is a sectional side view of the comb shown in Figure 5 partly ejected from its case.

Figure 7 is a section on the line C-C of Figure 5.

Figure 8 is an end view in the direction of arrow D of Figure 5.

Referring first to the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4, the comb 1 is hinged in a case 2 by a hinge pin 3. The case 2 is a U-section sheath with substantially parallel sides which project at one end to form radiused hinge lugs 4-between which the hinge pin 3 is mounted. The end 5 of the comb which is hinged between the lugs is similarly radiused so that in the closed position as shown in Figure 1 the comb, apart from its back bar 6, is wholly contained between the sides of the U-section case 2. The back bar 6 of the comb forms a shoulder 7, radial with respect to its radiused end 5. When the comb is fully opened, as shown by the chain dotted lines in Figure 6, this shoulder engages the end of the base of the U-section case to support the comb firmly in the .nited States Patent 0 that it projects partly from the case, in the position 2,841,158 i 'atented July 1, 1958 position of use when the case is used as a handle for manipulating the comb.

At the end of the case 2 remote from the hinge lugs 4 a pivot pin 8 is mounted between the parallel sides of the U-section, and on this is pivotally mounted a bell crank lever 9, one limb 10 of the bell crank being directed within the cover and the other limb 11 being arranged to swing between a position just within the end edges of the case 2, closing the end of the case remote from the hinge, as shown in Figure 1, and an outwardly inclined position as shown in Figure 2. The limb 10 forms a trip bar, and in the former position lies along the base of the U-section, below and in engagement with the ends of the teeth of the comb when the latter is in the closed position. The end of the limb 11 is turned over to form a latch part 12 which in the said former position engages over the free end of the back of the comb, to retain it in the closed position. The tip 13 of this latch part is turned upwardly for facilitating the riding of the end of the comb past it when moving to the closed position, as will be described, and for easy bar to'be raised from the base of the U-section case and to trip the comb and swing it about its hinge pin 3 so shown in Figure 2. r In this position the comb is accessible for gripping by the fingers of a user so that it can be moved to the fully open position of use as shown by chain dotted lines in Figure 6.

For convenience the outward movement of the bell crank is limited so that the comb 1 can be closed into the case 2 again when desired without manipulating the bell crank. For this purpose an outwardly projecting part 14 is formed at the angle of the bell crank and an abutment 15 is pressed from the base of the U-section case. When the latch part 12 is moved outwardly to trip the comb, as described, the outwardly projecting part 14 moves into engagement with the abutment 15, preventing further movement of the bell crank beyond the position shown in Figure 2.

When the comb is closed, its teeth first engage the tip of the trip bar limb 10, moving it towards the base of the case and swinging the latch part 12 inwardly until it engages the end of the comb and rides over it to overlie the back of the comb, as described.

The comb is thus made ready for use by simply pressing outwardly the tip 13 of the latch part whereupon the comb can be gripped and swung to the position of use without any difficulty or danger of breaking the nails of a user.

Figures 4 to 8 show a slightly modified embodiment. In this embodiment the bell crank lever is formed with an outwardly projecting finger piece 16 at its angle, and the base of the U-section case 2 is cut away at the end remote from the hinge to form a gap 17 into which the finger piece 16 can swing. When the comb is in the closed position, as shown in Figure 5, downward and inward pressure on the finger piece will move the latch part 12 outwardly to clear the end of the comb, and the trip bar limb 10 upwardly to swing the comb 1 from the case 2 in the manner previously described, the finger piece 16 swinging into the gap 17 and engaging the end of the gap to limit the movement of the bell crank lever.

The device may be given a snap action by forming the bell crank of resilient material and by making the latch part 12 of length such that it retains the comb in the closed position during its initial outward movement, thus preventing the limb 10 of the bell crank from rising from the base of the case, and stressing the bell crank. As soon as the latch part, 12 clears the end of the comb, however, this stress is released, the trip bar limb 10 springing upwardly from the base and ejecting the comb. With suitable material and dimensions of the bell crank, this upward springing of the trip bar limb can be made to cause the comb to swing to the fully open position. The comb can thus be moved from the closed position to the position of use by a single movement of the tip 13 or the finger piece 16. In the reverse movement of the comb, towards the closed position the latch part 12 engages the end of the comb as the trip bar limb 10 is engaged by the teeth and moved towards the base of the case, and the bell crank is again stressed. As the fully closed position is approached, the latch bar is able to snap over the back of the comb, releasing the stress, and securely holding the comb in the closed position.

I claim:

1. A toilet article, such as a comb, hingedly connected by one end to an end of a sheath-like case, U-shaped in cross section which forms a handle whereby the toilet article can be manipulated, a trip bar pivotally mounted within the case in a position where it is overlain by the toilet article when the latter is housed in the case, and means whereby the trip bar may be moved to trip the toilet article and swing it about its hinge so that it projects at least partly from the case.

2. A toilet article according to claim 1 wherein a part of the trip bar projects from the case so as to be accessible for moving the trip bar.

3. A toilet article according to claim 1 wherein an extension of the trip bar is automatically moved into latching engagement with the toilet article when the latter is closed into the case for retaining the toilet article in the closed position until the trip bar is moved for tripping and swinging the toilet article.

4. A toilet article, such as a comb, of the kind which is connected by one end to an end of a sheath-like case providing a housing for it of U-shaped cross section in which a two-limbed bell crank lever is mounted on a pivot in the sheath-like case, one limb of the bell crank lever forming a trip bar lying along the base of the U-section case in a position where it is overlain by the toilet article when the latter is housed in the case, the other limb of the bell crank lever being bent to form a latch part which, when the toilet article is closed into the case, engaging and depressing the trip bar, is swung to engage and latch over the toilet article for retaining it in the closed position.

5. A toilet article according to claim 4 wherein the extremity of the latch bar is upturned to facilitate its riding over the toilet article and to facilitate movement of the bell crank by a finger of a user.

6. A toilet article according to claim 4 wherein a part of the bell crank adjacent its pivot extends from the case to form a finger piece conveniently positioned for engagement by a finger of a user for moving the bell crank lever.

7. A toilet article according to claim 4 wherein the bell crank lever is formed from resilient material and is adapted to be stressed on moving the latch part to clear the toilet article in the closed position whereby the toilet article is resiliently tripped when this clearance is obtained.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,671,312 Pollak May 29, 1928 

